Rail-joint



J. T. EVANS.

RAIL JOINT.

(No Model.)

N0. 508,004. Patented Nov. 7, 1893.

H WIJJVESSES of bed plate.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. EVANS, OF UTIGA, NEW YORK.

RAIL-JOINT."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,004, dated November '7, 1893'.

Application filed December 5, 1801. Serial No. 414.159. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. EVANS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented new and useful Impro vements in Rail-Joints; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail-joints, the object of the invention being to provide means for making a firm and durable jointing of the rails which will be simple and inexpensive in both construction and application.

The invention consists in certain novel features in the arrangement and construction of parts, all as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings in which my invention is fully illustrated: Figure 1, is a top View of the abutting ends of the rails showing the same used with the ordinary form Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical sectional View, taken on the line 0c, 00, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a portion of a rail showing the locking bolt and the form in which it is inserted through the slot in the lap portion. Fig.- 4, is a perspective view of the double bolt.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A denotes the rails the opposite sides of the ends of which are formed with right angular recesses so as to overlap each other to give greater strength to the joints, requiring less of the rail-jointing devices than if the rails were square ended and at the same time retaining the same straight line of shock or ar' secured by square end rails.

On the cross ties B, B, of the road at the points where the ends of the rails come together, is stationed a grooved plate O, which is securely fastened to the cross-ties by means of a series of spikes driven through the holes D, formed in the said plate along its sides and into the cross-ties. The grooved plate, thus firmly located on the cross-ties, receives within the groove E, the base of the rail at their abutting ends. The groove E, is rectangular in form and holds the rails from lateral displacement, while a series of spikes F, having overhanging heads are driven through suitable holes in the plate near the edge of the groove and into the ties, the heads of the spikes F, projecting over. the base of the rail and holding the same within the groove. This being a well known form of chair or bed plate can be conveniently used with myinvention, but any method of giving the joints greater security can be employed. The present in vention consisting in the novel manner of making the joint, and the binding together of the overlapping ends of the rails, is accomplished by a locking bolt G'- The bolt G, is provided with a large fiat head H, adapted to give a greater area of bearing surface to the web of the rail, and the body portion of said bolt is preferably flat and bifurcated for a portion of its length, forming the two arms or branches Ct which are bent backward to clinch the web of the rail and be proof against being shaken loose by the wear and tear to which the rails are subjected, as is the case when nuts areused on the ends of bolts. Itis obvious that the bolt may be made round, hexagonal, or of anyshape in cross section as may be found convenient and the ends counter-sunk to give a firmer bearing. This form of lock-bolt can also be used with a fish plate when the ends of the rails are not overlapping.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a double bolt, the head of which is in the form of a plate and thereby adapted to stand greater strain. The locking bolt G, is inserted in the slot formed in the web of the rail, and by making the slot of greater length than the width of the bolt, sufficient provision will then be made for the expansion and contraction of 

